Compassion for the Enemy.

In order to be like God we must have compassion for our enemies.

God does not punish even His own enemies.

He forgives them and offers them redemption.

We must do the same.


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Help Will Come.

When we are attacked or oppressed we can all on God.

And help will come.


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Gay Sexuality.

Many people think that you cannot be gay and in a positive relationship with God.

But my experience is that God does not discriminate.

God thinks no differently about my gay sexuality than He does about heterosexuality.

And that is that He considers it a normal part of life.

So don't listen to those who tell you that gays are not acceptable to God.

I am living proof to the contrary.


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Beware.

What we must beware of is forcing our ideas onto other people.

Even if our ideas are right we must avoid merely being right or trying to win.

We must open our hearts and ask, "What does my heart say?"

Even if others reject what we say we can still love them and offer them understanding and forgiveness.

We must let people come to understanding in their own way.

We can pray for that.


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Conspiracy.

Despite the dubious reputation of conspiracy theories in our world I believe that there is an international conspiracy.

This is the conspiracy of Satanism which began with the rock bands of the 1960s and has spread throughout the music industry and to movies, T.V., literature, and sports.

What can be seen is just the tip of the iceberg.

Flames, skulls, snakes, spiders, death, darkness, magic, vampires, evil.....

These are the visible symbols of a huge negative influence much of which is subliminal and subconscious.

There is no devil in reality but the damage remains.

So unplug your earphones and turn off the T.V..

Pray to God in secret.

And He will deliver you.


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God's Hands.

We are God's hands in the world.

God works in and through us.

So, if we listen to the teachings of Jesus but do not do them, nothing will happen.

This is why the Kingdom of God has only partially manifested in our world.

People only partially act on the good news.

Jesus taught us how to live.

But most people only partially enact it if they do not ignore it altogether.

So it is no use complaining that God has not put the world right because we have not put the words of His chosen one into action ourselves.


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Love One Another.

And what stops us from loving one another?

Fear.

Fear of the other guy.  Fear of failure.  Fear of losing out.  Fear of poverty.

"'you of little faith'"  Matthew 6:30 (NRSV)

If God is our Father then all people are my brothers and sisters.

"of whom shall I be afraid?"  Psalm 27:1 (NRSV)

Love one another and create the Kingdom of God on earth.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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The Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is the community of followers of Jesus Christ who have been baptized and accepted the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus said, "'Who is my mother and my brothers?'  And looking at those who sat around him, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.'"  Mark 3:33-35 (NRSV)

I believe that Jesus regarded the Kingdom of God to be those people brought into the New Covenant with God which was born of his mission on earth.

But the statement: "Whoever does the will of God"  Mark 3:35 (NRSV) is broader than that.  It includes followers of other religions who do God's will.

And what is God's will?

That we love one another.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Punishment.

Most of the references to punishment in the Old Testament refer to negative experiences of the tribe of Israel.

The prophets of ancient Israel rationalized their experience by saying that God was punishing them for not obeying the Law.

This referred mainly to religious practices involving foreign gods and idols.

This was cited as the reason that Israel's enemies rose up against them.

This is a version of Prosperity Theology which states that our experiences on earth reflect the favor or disapproval of God.

But the Book of Job clearly refutes Prosperity Theology.
Although it lays responsibility at the feet of a fictitious devil, the Book of Job has Job justified despite his suffering and misfortune.
It is Job's opponents who claim that he must have sinned to deserve his fate.
But God says what Job said was more true.

So where does that leave us?

It is clear that most of the statements about God in the Old Testament are followed by threats of punishment.

But is this a true picture?

They say that God is merciful and compassionate, steadfast in love, and ready to relent from punishment.

But they say that He will punish any disobedience.

What are we to believe?

The New Testament God of Jesus is a loving Father.

And, although there are still some threats of punishment, the overwhelming impression of God is of forgiveness, compassion, and love.

Perhaps the time has come to purge our image of God of all violence and punishment.

My experience of God is wholly benevolent, helpful, compassionate, forgiving, understanding, and loving.

I have never experienced any punishment from God.

Fear can make us imagine that God is punishing us.
But this is not true.

He is merely waiting for us to see.  
    

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Michelangelo.

Bodybuilders aspire to emulate the perfect beauty of Michelangelo.

And sometimes they forget that Michelangelo was gay.

Many bathe in the admiration of men but will not admit to any homoerotic component.

Michelangelo interpreted the beauty that he saw in men.
And this beauty has survived to this day.

So when you admire the manly beauty of Michelangelo remember that he was gay.


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Intimidation.

How do so many Christians convince people to believe things which clearly contradict what Jesus taught?

The answer is simple - intimidation.

They threaten people with eternal damnation in hell if they contradict what they are teaching them.

Obey me or burn in hell for ever.

Whether they actually believe this (having perhaps been subjected to corporal punishment by strict parents) or whether this is an attempt to subjugate people to their political will is uncertain.

Perhaps it is both.

But the damage remains.

Fear begets fear.

"But perfect love casts out fear." 1 John 4:18b (NRSV)


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]  

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Gay Rights.

When it comes to social justice Church organizations always omit gay rights.

Whether it be in church, from the pulpit, in justice ministry, orders of nuns or religious gay rights seem always to be out of bounds.

And it doesn't help to remind them when they are talking about human rights issues that gays and lesbians are persecuted in this world.

Perhaps it is because it is the Church which is doing the persecuting.

But even so called liberal Churches omit gay rights from their agendas.

You will hear many pleas for asylum seekers, the homeless, battered wives, drug addicts, gambling addicts, Aborigines, even Muslims but you will seldom hear gays and lesbians mentioned.

We have been relegates to the status of religious non-persons.

We don't even rate a mention.


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Rationalizing Jesus.

What Christians have done in the past and still do today is rationalize Jesus.

Because what Jesus taught requires courage and risk people rationalize what he said to suit themselves.

For example a succession of Christian political leaders have rejected Jesus' injunction to turn the other cheek and retaliated against perceived threats with military action .

This is in direct contradiction of Matthew 5.

Jesus said to love your enemies.

But many Christians today choose hate and violence, discrimination and prejudice.

They have rationalized what Jesus said by choosing another passage from the Bible - the Psalms of David or the Book of Revelation with its violent imagery - and ignoring what Jesus actually taught while claiming that their beliefs are Biblical.

It's too hard.  It won't work in the real world.

 It has been said that Christianity is in danger of passing without being tried.

This is because realistic people rationalize what Jesus taught and cherry pick the Bible to suit themselves.


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Media.

The media is owned by our corporate masters.

They use it to manipulate public opinion and control what people think.

They humanize the rich and powerful and dehumanize the poor, the sick, foreigners, and refugees.

They stereotype and slander their enemies.
And conduct fear and smear campaigns against any perceived threat.
The rest is distraction with celebrity worship and sports.

And they know that what they do is wicked.
But they rationalize it and deny it.

So turn off your T.V..
And cancel your subscriptions.

In this way you will reclaim your own mind.

And return to your own life.


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Democracy and Capitalism.

Capitalism is not Democracy.

When Ronald Reagan defeated Communism the victory was not claimed by Democracy.  It was claimed by Capitalism.

But Capitalism is not Democracy.

Even Pope John Paul II said that Capitalism was no better for people than Communism.

But Soviet Communism was defeated and the Western Capitalist Plutocrats assumed power.

And we are still in the grip of their brutal regime.


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Breaking the Cycle.

Fear and violence have been handed down from generation to generation.

We see this in the Church.
Violence and intimidation inflicted on one generation is replicated in the next.

It is a vicious cycle.

The Old Testament rule of an eye for an eye merely guaranteed that this cycle continued.

But Jesus said not to retaliate but to return good for evil.

This breaks the cycle of fear and violence.

It is a truly revolutionary philosophy.

So don't return your elders' violence and intimidation in kind but love and forgive them.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love."  1 John 4:18 (NRSV)


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]  


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Paris.

When tragedies like the Paris attacks occur some people blame religion and even God for what happened.

I do not believe that this is true.

People who use violence as a method of expressing their religion are not reflecting the ways of God.

People have free will and some people choose to interpret the scriptures in a violent, hateful manner.

But this is not the will of God.

"The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying.  Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.  But they refused to listen, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears in order not to hear.  They made their hearts adamant in order not to hear the law and the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former prophets."  Zechariah 7:8-12 (NRSV)

This is what is happening today.

God has sent his message of mercy and tolerance and peace into the world but people have refused to listen.  They have hardened their hearts and become adamant in their opinions.

"And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil."  John 3:19 (NRSV)

And so it is.

People prefer darkness to the light and act with violence and hatred and war instead of tolerance, love, and peace.    


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]


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Equals.

Aquarius is all about equality.

So when we say that gay men worship muscle it is not intended to be taken literally.

Satanists operating in the sex industry will try to corrupt bodybuilders by telling them that they will be worshiped like gods.

But we should not bow down to men.

"I am the Lord your God.....
.....you shall have no other gods before me."  Exodus 20:2,3 (NRSV)

"And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father - the one in heaven.'"  Matthew 23:9 (NRSV)

So be sure when you admire bodybuilders that you are not committing blasphemy.

For we worship one God - the one in heaven.

And all men are equal in His sight.  


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Aquarius Corrupted.

What will happen if Aquarius is corrupted?

Will Satanism in the popular culture turn it into a licentious cosmic hedonism?

Or will the rich and powerful put the bottom back in and make it a puppet of the conservative establishment with its rewards and punishments and its heaven and hell?

Either way we must be vigilant.

We must watch constantly for signs of corruption.

We must guard against modifications to the good news.

The good news that God does not punish us; there is no hell, no devil, no judgement.

And that God is love and forgiveness for all.  


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Culture Wars.

In recent times the extremes of social and cultural philosophies have devolved into Culture Wars.

The extremes of liberalism and conservatism between which the pendulum has swung over the last century have been locked in a battle for supremacy.

These two positions are represented in astrology by the planets Uranus (liberalism) and Saturn (conservatism).

Ironically these are the two planets which rule the sign of Aquarius - the Age into which we are now entering.

So what will happen?

My understanding of Aquarius is that it is essentially liberal but has certain conservative aspects.

Some of these will correspond.

For example the Saturnian concern for unselfishness and consideration for others corresponds to the Uranian attitude of altruism.

The Saturnian practice of charity corresponds to the Uranian attitude of humanitarianism.

The Saturnian concern for family may be met by the Uranian approach of unconditional love for all.

The Saturnian attitudes of gratitude, patience, self-discipline, and respect can be included in Aquarius without challenging the Uranian concern for freedom and individuality.

Perhaps this is the meaning of Aquarius.

So, rather than engaging in Culture Wars, we should be aiming to harmoniously blend aspects of the two planets in Aquarius.

Respect for others' rights.

Respect for the environment.

Same-sex marriage.

The right to life after the quickening (when the child becomes a separate being).

The banning of genetic engineering without concern for illness or deformity.

Moderation in the expression of sexuality.

Voluntary volunteering.

Compulsory voting.

Obeying the law of the land.

These are some examples of a sensible approach to harmonizing the two aspects of Aquarius.

Perhaps this is the way forward, rather than trying to win the War.
    

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Sex Workers.

Those who choose to work in the sex industry - prostitutes, nude models, strippers, and muscle jocks deserve to earn enough money to live on.

No one, however, should be forced to work in the sex industry because of poverty, prejudice, or racism.

They deserve a good job that pays enough to support them and any dependents they may have.

But if people choose to work in sex jobs they should not be made to feel that they are in any way less human than the rest of us.

Some people look down on such people as dirty, or depraved, or even evil.

But they are human beings like everyone else.

Many of them have beautiful bodies and good and generous hearts.

It is not for us to judge them.


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Making Things Worse.

In the movie The Never Ending Story the villain is something called The Nothing.
And everyone is trying to escape it.

People experience this in real life.

It is caused by people taking instead of giving.
They bleed you dry and use you up.
Leaving nothing.

People try all sorts of things to remedy this situation:
drugs, sex, money, possessions, food, shopping, magic, power, politics, fame.....

But those who turn to Satan are making the biggest mistake.
Because Satanism is religion backwards - it teaches you to take and not to give.

So they are in fact making things worse.


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Lasting Peace.

One way to establish lasting peace between the Christian West and Islamic extremism is to follow the example of Tony Blair in Northern Ireland.

Tony Blair manufactured a political solution to the violence.
By engaging the political wing of the IRA (Sinn Fein) he was able to to offer them power.  And all parties retired to their churches to pray for peace.

This model could be followed in the struggle between the West and Islamic extremism.

The first step is to engage their leaders, or their political wing, in dialogue.
First we must listen to what they truly believe.

[I believe that the problem is more economic than religious.  Which targets did they choose on 9/11?  The World Trade Center (symbol of Western economic wealth) and the Pentagon (symbol of Western military supremacy).  This is the Western military/industrial machine which oppresses the rest of the world.]

But we must listen to what our enemies say.

Then we will be in a position to manufacture a solution - political or otherwise.

And then all parties could retire to their churches, their mosques, and their synagogues to pray for peace.

This is one way, perhaps the only way, to establish lasting peace.  


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White Knight.

He is the White Knight

come

to save you

from the evil villain.


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The Last and the Least.

In our haste to help our loved ones we often forget the last and the least.

Along with our prayers for our family and friends we should also pray for those who have no family and no friends.

These are the disabled, the poor, the sick, the destitute, the abused, the homeless, the oppressed, asylum seekers, beggars, and single parents.....

We should also pray for the rich and powerful.
Pray that they overcome their fears and open their hearts to their workers and employees, their sons and daughters.

So do not forget the last and the least when you pray.

God will hear.


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What is the Good News?

So what is the good news?

1.  We are not condemned.
The story of Adam and Eve is a myth that was created to answer the question - Why is life like it is?  It is not the only explanation for toil and suffering.
Rather we are blessed - "God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good."  Genesis 1:31a (NRSV)

2.  We do not have to take every word of the Bible as literally true.
The Bible was not dictated by God.
The Bible is a collection of writings over a long period of time by many different writers that records humanity's experience of the One God.

3.  God does not punish us.
Bad experiences in life are not evidence that God is punishing us.
Rather bad experiences are the result of the ignorant actions of human beings, or the indifferent functions of nature.

4.  God will not judge us.
If God does not punish us then there can be no hell.
Hell is completely out of Character for a loving God.

5.  God loves us.
God is our loving Father and He does not punish His children.

6.  Jesus was not divine in any way that others are not.
Jesus was a human being like you or me who drew close to God through prayer, study, and love.

7.  Jesus' death was not required by God to atone for our sins.
Jesus was not a human blood sacrifice.
He was put to death by earthly authorities because he had become a threat to their power.

8.  Jesus will not return to judge us all.

9.  The Book of Revelation does not describe current events.
The so called End Times predicted the fall of Rome, the end of the ancient world, and the establishment of Christendom.

10.  We have now reached the end of the Age of Pisces.
The next age - the Age of Aquarius - is beginning now.

11.  The Age of Aquarius will see a New Covenant with God.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Good Deeds.

Many religious people condemn pornography.

But pornography is a manifestation of compassion for those who do not have a partner and cannot get sex.

These people, which includes many gay men and disabled people, suffer rejection and neglect.

Pornography is a relief from that suffering.

Gay men worship muscle.

The muscle worship sites on the internet act as a safety net for those gay men, and there are many of them, who cannot get sex with musclemen in real life.

The bodybuilders themselves do this out of the goodness of their generous hearts.

They show pity and compassion for gay men and give of themselves without constraint.

And it is safe.

Surely these are good deeds.


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Left Behind.

The Church that is emerging now is progressive, credible, and new.

Gone are the negative doctrines of Original Sin and Penal Substitution.

Gone are the myths of a Virgin Birth and a physical Resurrection.

Gone are the destructive doctrines of Sin.

Gone are the weapons of fear and guilt.

In their place is the pure doctrine of unconditional love.

There is love and forgiveness for all.

And those who are clinging desperately to the old certainties are being left behind.


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Love.

Love has always been taught in the world's religions.

But she has never been the most important feature.

There has always been something more important.
Whether it be morality, or reason, or knowledge, or enlightenment, or good works, or sacrifice, or virtue, or goodness there has always been something more important than Love.

Love has been the perpetual bridesmaid.

And Love has often been ignored altogether in the quest for God's favor.

But the time has come for Love to become the Bride that she was born to be.

Love is at the heart of all that is spiritual and all the spiritual principles: morality, reason, knowledge, enlightenment, good works, sacrifice, virtue, and goodness flow from Love.

So seek to Love and all the rest will follow.


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I am Gay.

If you have any respect for what I write on this blog.....

Respect the fact that I am gay.

If this collides with your preconceived ideas about what a spiritual person should be then look at your reasons and perceptions.

I will not predict what you will find.

But I know that God does not discriminate.

He loves us all like His children.

And love does not discriminate.

Music.

I read a report on the internet which suggested that listening to certain types of music boosted athletic performance by up to 10%.

While I would be skeptical about the veracity of these claims I do believe that different types of music affect us in different ways.

Rock music, for example, affects the pleasure centers of the brain and can become addictive like a drug.

Classical music, on the other hand, puts us into a more concentrated state of mind.

Mozart's music in particular is known to put the mind into a heightened alpha state.

This is much more beneficial to us than the disturbing effects of rock music.
And what words are entering our minds while we are listening?

It is not true that rock music boosts our energy levels any more than energetic classical music.

So be wary of artists who claim that listening to their music boosts performance.

They're probably just trying to sell C.D.s.


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All Saints' Day.

A saint is wholly good.

A saint returns good for evil.

A saint forgives others, even those who are evil.

A saint is patient.

A saint does not anger easily.

A saint endures suffering without complaint.

A saint returns love for hatred.

A saint loves the unlovable.

A saint loves his enemies.


We should all aspire to become saints.


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